Please note that any contents on this site are offered in the English language only as an additional information service. However, the basis for undertaking the procedure of the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (SfH, Trust for Admission to Higher Education, also referred to as hochschulstart.de) is any statement shown on the German information platform. If you have any further questions of detail, please contact your study advisor. To contact our applicant’s support via e-mail please use our contact form.

Welcome to the dialogue-oriented service procedure of Hochschulstart!

On behalf of the state-recognized German higher education institutions, we coordinate the allocation of offers to undergraduate courses of study. This service makes use of the capacities of German higher education institutions in the best way possible so that any places in higher education can be allocated in good time and as many applicants as possible get a place in higher education.

On the following pages you get to know:

how to apply for undergraduate courses of study with our support;

how offers are awarded in detail; and

concerning which important issues you should contact your chosen university directly and who additionally assists you on your way to begin your studies.

Please take your time in advance of your application in order to deal with the requirements and the decisions that may be necessary during the further process.

Due to the variety of courses of study being offered at German higher education institutions (Germany's state (public) or state-recognised universities of applied sciences, colleges and traditional universities) it is best to decide whether you want to apply for one particular or for multiple places. By applying for more than one you improve your chances. If you decide on more than one offer then it is important to set your priorities for each requested course.

If your chosen course has an admission restriction then please check whether it participates in the dialogue-oriented service procedure. If your chosen course is admission-free then please check also whether it participates in the dialogue-oriented service procedure. The appropriate information can be found on application portal or on the website of the actual higher education institution.

In the case that your chosen course does not participate in the procedure then refer directly to the higher education institution to find out how to proceed. Hochschulstart.de is, in this case, unable to provide further information.

In the case that your chosen course does participate in the dialogue-oriented service procedure hochschulstart.de provides the first information for the next steps to be taken.

As part of the procedure a check will be made as to whether you meet the selection criterion to allow you a place. In any case you will be presented with a list of offers. You can accept an offer or decide to wait and see whether you receive a further offer for one of your chosen courses that better suits your wishes.

As soon as you have accepted an offer, all your remaining applications irrevocably withdraw from the ongoing procedure for undergraduate courses of study (in DoSV) and you will receive a notification of admission. You no longer participate in the procedure. If you want to wait and see whether you get a better offer for a place higher on your priority list then you can do so. If no higher prioritised offer can be made to you, you can fall back on the offer that is already available. In any case you receive a notification of admission.

The notification of admission contains detailed and important information about the matriculation. The matriculation is done under the jurisdiction of the higher education institution according to its rules.

Before you start the course it is best, in your own interest, to check that you have completed all the necessary steps.

The secretarial staff at the individual higher education institutions and student organisations will provide help and answer to your questions about taking up your studies. Detailed information can also be found on the institution internet site.

For applicants

Flyer Summer term 2019

The Flyer for applicants contains the dates and information about the service procedure for the admission to higher education for the summer term 2019 (DIN A4).

Procedure notes Summer term 2019

Procedure notes for the summer term 2019, under which the allocation of places of study for the first semester in the first vocational qualifying, undergraduate courses is coordinated.

If you apply again in a later procedure please observe the up-to-date procedure notes that are here available for download.

ChecklistSummer term 2019

The Checklist for the summer term 2019 places the different factors concerning the admission to a higher education institution in the dialogue-oriented service procedure (DoSV) to applicants into an order.